CNET Editors' Rating

Average User Rating

The GoodSmartly designed; well connected; picture quality is generally very likeable.

The BadThere are better performers out there; not enough reasons to choose this over higher-spec Samsung A656 range.

The Bottom LineThe LE32A558 is certainly an accomplished and attractive LCD TV -- just as we'd expect from Samsung these days. We came away from it, however, feeling that if it was us, we'd be looking to find the few quid more necessary to get hold of Samsung's LE32A656 instead

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While Samsung's trademark 'touch of colour' LCD TVs might be the talk of the tech town right now, if your aesthetic tastes tend towards the subtle -- and you want to save a few bob into the bargain -- Samsung's A558 range, as represented today by the 32-inch LE32A558, could be just the thing.

PositivesDespite being resolutely black, the 32A558 is certainly not ugly. Its high-gloss finish makes it feel opulent beyond its £500 asking price, while its subtle combination of stark angles and gentle curves gives it bags of style.
The set is decently connected too, thanks in particular to its three v1.3 HDMI inputs, D-Sub PC jack, and USB port for playing JPEG and MP3 files straight into the TV.

More good news, given the 32A558's price point, is its 'Full HD' resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, and high claimed contrast ratio of 15,000:1. Both these figures are consistent with the higher-priced A656 range, as is the provision of Samsung's Movie Plus and DNIe processing systems for, respectively, sharpening or smoothing out the handling of motion, and boosting everything from colours to sharpness.

What's more, these two headliners are just the tip of an iceberg of tweaks and options that's much deeper than we'd have anticipated finding on such a competitively priced TV. Edge-enhancement processing, gamma adjustment, backlight adjustment, white-balance adjustment, skin-tone adjustment, noise reduction... seriously, it's a tinkerer's heaven!

Once you've spent some quality time with these features, you can rustle up some very good quality images from the LE32A558.
For instance, HD sources are reproduced with extensive detail and sharpness, and colours look vibrant but naturally toned, even if you happen to be watching from quite a wide angle. This latter talent is a real bonus versus the majority of 32-inch LCD TVs that come our way.

NegativesNeither the 32A558's black-level response nor its motion reproduction are really outstanding by today's tough standards, with traces of greyness over dark scenes, and sporadic blurring over fast-moving objects.

There are other issues with the picture too. For starters, if you use any of the picture presets included with the TV, colours tend to look pretty weird, with over-exaggerated primaries. So you'll need to spend time with the various colour user tweaks.